No pets for 15 years for woman accused of throwing cats in river

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SPRINGFIELD, Ore. - A woman accused of trying to kill two cats by throwing them in the Willamette River last November has been ordered by the court not to own any pets for the next 15 years.

Betty Ann Gould, 62, pleaded not contest to two misdemeanor counts of attempted aggravated animal abuse in a deal with Springfield city prosecutors to dismiss two charges of animal abandonment, Brian Austin with Springfield Animal Control confirmed.

Gould was sentenced to propation, ordered to pay a fine and barred from owning pets for 15 years.

Witnesses told police the two abandoned Persian cats were found inside of a trash bag that was snagged on a tree branch near Island Park in December 2012.

Responding officers from SPD immediately set to work trying to rescue the cats from the Willamette. They managed to retrieve both felines, who officials said were scared but safe.

Further investigation led police to Gould, a Springfield cat breeder who handles similar breeds of Persians.